At Hyundai, the accent has drifted from style

The long-awaited replacement for the Excel, our best-selling small car, has arrived. The new model is bigger, better and more expensive - but its looks are likely to inspire the most comment. Joshua Dowling reports.

At Hyundai, the accent has drifted from style

Do Australians believe the glass is half-empty or half-full? Hyundai is poised to find out.

By the company's own admission, the feedback on the new Accent's squarish appearance is "not as positive" as that on the previous Excel. This is as faint as praise gets.

According to the company's internal straw poll "50 percent liked the new car more than the old car, 50 percent didn't".

Since then, the NRMA's revelation that 43 percent of new car buyers rate styling above anything else on their list of priorities has probably sent shivers through Hyundai HQ.

Some pundits have likened the radical styling change to Mazda's ditching the cute 121 "bubble" for the square and conservative 121 Metro. The same pundits also point out sales went sour from there.

Hyundai's official line on styling is "it's evolutionary, rather than revolutionary" and "the Excel was feminine, the new Accent is more masculine".

But is this a wrong turn for a car which won most of its sales on style and price? The new car is conservative and more expensive. And, at times, women have accounted for up to 70 per cent of sales.

Hyundai's new motto "take another look" is intended to highlight a broad new range but it could be interpreted as an invitation to "please consider" after the embarrassing Excel recall two years ago.

Significantly, many of the important parts of the Accent are carried over from the Excel. The engine, gearbox and suspension are the same; the body is completely new. When Ford did this to the AU Falcon, we said it was last night's dinner re-heated. In the case of the Accent, it's last night's dinner reheated - minus a few bugs.

The Accent is more refined to drive and has caught up with the competition in several key areas such as ride comfort and roadholding but there is still room for improvement. The engine is especially harsh when revved hard.

Incredibly, a CD player is not standard. To the hip young things who are likely to buy this car, this absence is a serious misdemeanour.

Inside, the quality of the plastics and the interior layout has taken a major leap forward. The car Drive sampled had a quality feel similar to Japanese rivals.

It is noticeably bigger, too, but there is a downside. The driver now must lean further to adjust the passenger side mirror and lock and unlock the passenger's door. Power mirrors and central locking (which would probably require a 50-cent switch for each door) are still not standard.

If you are one of Australia's 250,000 Excel owners, expect a letter from Hyundai soon. The Korean car maker knows where most of you live and wants you to buy the new model.

As a reward to loyal customers, Hyundai plans to sell the Accent to existing Excel owners for a GST-adjusted $14,990 drive-away with free air-conditioning. Everyone else will be asked to pay an extra $1,000 for air-con.

So, what happens if you hear about the free-air deal but don't already own an Excel?